Narrow Escape: Storm Flattens Taraba School as WAEC Candidates Flee for Their Lives

 

Namnai Students Cheat Death as Storm Wrecks School During Exams

A devastating storm tore through Namnai village in Taraba State’s Gassol Local Government Area on Wednesday evening, nearly claiming the lives of hundreds of students sitting for the West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE).

The natural disaster struck Government Secondary School, Namnai, around 6 p.m., just as a fresh batch of students had settled in for their final year examinations. With the skies turning ominous and the winds picking up speed, the situation escalated within minutes. Then came the rain—relentless and blinding. Before anyone could react, the aging classroom structures began to groan and finally collapsed in a terrifying heap of metal, wood, and concrete.

Panic swept through the school grounds as students, teachers, National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members, and exam supervisors found themselves suddenly trapped. Screams pierced the air, drowned intermittently by the roar of wind and thunder.

Eyewitnesses described a harrowing scene. Alhaji DanAzumi Lauris, a respected community member and eyewitness, recalled the chaos. “It was a nightmare. One moment, everything was calm, and the next, it was like the heavens had opened with fury. Walls crumbled, roofs flew off, and we heard people yelling from under the debris,” he recounted.

Dozens of students were severely injured, with many suffering fractures and deep lacerations. Adults supervising the exams were not spared either. According to Lauris, some of the corps members and teachers were buried under the collapsed structure and had to be dug out manually by villagers who rushed to the scene.

Emergency services were not immediately available, leaving the task of rescue and first aid in the hands of local residents. Many victims were ferried to the nearest primary healthcare center, where they are currently receiving treatment. The number of those critically injured is yet to be confirmed.

Aside from the school, the storm caused widespread damage across Namnai, flattening homes and toppling trees. For a small village unaccustomed to such weather extremes, the destruction left behind was nothing short of catastrophic. “This is the worst storm we've seen in years,” said another resident, shaking his head as he pointed to the shattered rooftops and muddy pathways.

Just a few miles away in Jalingo, the state capital, the same weather system brought its own brand of chaos. Floodwaters surged through roads, cutting off access for both vehicles and pedestrians. Examination centers were affected, with reports indicating that the inclement weather forced several students to remain stranded until the early hours of Thursday morning. Some candidates, drenched and exhausted, were seen wading through waist-deep water in an attempt to get home.

For many families, the night was spent in worry and prayer, unsure whether their children had made it home safely. The severe rainfall, accompanied by near-zero visibility, delayed not just travel but also communication as electricity and mobile networks faltered across several parts of the region.

Despite the gravity of the incident, government officials have remained silent. No official statement has been released regarding the extent of the damage, the wellbeing of those injured, or any potential changes to the WASSCE schedule. Stakeholders, including parents, education authorities, and local leaders, are calling for urgent intervention and clarity.

This tragedy has sparked serious conversations around infrastructure readiness and emergency preparedness in schools, especially during critical national examinations. While the community grapples with rebuilding and recovery, the near-tragedy in Namnai underscores the vulnerability of educational institutions to extreme weather and the urgent need for reinforced structures and contingency plans.

As families tend to the injured and assess the losses, one thing remains clear: this was not just a weather event—it was a wake-up call.